Urgent health update: Consequences of War on Gaza and the West Bank/Jerusalem February 21, 2026

Action Items

1. Another $6 billion in weapons to Israel? No way! Compel your Congresspeople in DC to sign onto a resolution of disapproval. Here.

2. Tell Congress: Block ICE from using Palantir’s spying tools. The weapons of mass surveillance Palantir developed to repress Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank must not be used in the US. Here.

Members of Congress are taking millions in donations from Palantir. And Palantir has gotten more than 2.5 billion in taxpayer funded federal contracts since 2009.

See if your Congressperson is on Palantir’s payroll with this tracker. Then tell Congress to stop selling themselves! Here.

American Public Health Association 

This is repeated from 2 weeks ago because of its importance: If you are a member of the APHA, please consider changing its horrible record on Israel/ Palestine and internal democracy by RUNNING FOR GOVERNING COUNCIL in upcoming spring elections. Join with others to create a progressive presence in the Governing Council to: a) revise bylaws, b) adopt stronger peace and justice resolutions; and c) elect accountable Executive Board members who, in turn, can name a new Executive Director. The Executive Board is responsible for steering the organization on these matters, but it will take some years to fully reform its composition, culture and practices.

Start in your own section by sending expressions of concern to the Executive Board and Executive Director. This will reduce the isolation of the International Health Section, which has already been targeted for taking progressive positions. Letters should call for reforms to the Code of Conduct to include transparency and fair processes for those accused.

As background on repression in the APHA, here is Amy Hagopian’s report on her expulsion from APHA and activities at the 2025 annual meeting in Washington DC:  here

Two strong pieces of evidence have emerged that indicate external forces coerced unfortunately compliant APHA decision-making: 

1) The Anti-Defamation League report: 2025 ACADEMIC ASSOCIATION INTEGRITY INDEX: THE STATE OF ANTISEMITISM IN PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIC ASSOCIATIONS ,” where APHA is the ONLY organization credited with “meaningfully acting” on alleged antisemitism, explicitly with its suspension of Hagopian. 

2) A December 12 letter from the US House Of Representatives’ Committee on Education and Workforce to the American Psychological Association (APA) regarding “investigating antisemitism at the APA” and “considering…legislation to specifically address antisemitic discrimination among associations and accreditors...” This is the same Committee that attacked university presidents at hearings with false and exaggerated charges of antisemitism, to devastating effect.

For more information, please contact: aphademocracy@gmail.com

Webinars 

SAVE THE DATE: The next JVP Health Advisory Council webinar is: March 22, 10 am Pacific, 1 pm eastern, speaker: Zeena Salman, one of the Arab world’s most prominent humanitarian pediatric oncologists, and cofounder of HEAL Palestine, established in January 2024 in response to the horrific devastation in Gaza. More info coming.

Reports

10/2023 to 1/1/26, 84 Palestinian prisoners and detainees of known identity, including one minor, died in Israeli prisons or detention facilities. B’tselem has issued a report, “Living Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps.” Denial of medical care continues to serve as a form of torture in itself, leading to irreversible harms ranging from limb amputations to loss of hearing and eyesight, and even cases of death. See full report here

UN Human Rights Office report examining events from November 2024 to October 2025 says actions by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank—including intensified attacks, destruction of neighborhoods, and forced displacement—raise concerns about possible ethnic cleansing and other violations of international law. The report alleges Israel imposed conditions in Gaza incompatible with Palestinians’ continued existence, cites starvation and aid restrictions, and accuses Israeli authorities of unlawful force, repression, and discrimination in the West Bank. here   

GAZA

Israel continues to violate the 10/10 ceasefire with daily demolitions of residential buildings, farmland and public infrastructure, as well as military strikes on tent camps, homes, agricultural lands and public gathering places on both sides of the “yellow line.” Palestinian sea access and fishing remain prohibited. Israel continues to limit entry of food, medical & shelter supplies, repair equipment, etc. A surge in disease, especially diarrhea and hepatitis A, is driven by unsafe water, winter conditions, and poor shelter.

·       In the 1st half of February, Israel killed 129 people and injured 304.

·       Since the 10/10 “ceasefire,” Israel has killed at least 611 Palestinians and injured 1,630.

·       Palestinians in Gaza since 10/07/2023: 72,045 + killed, 171,686+ injured. 

·       Israeli soldiers in Gaza since 10/07/2023: 491 killed, 3,056 injured.

·       Israeli Hostages: 0. All hostages have been released or their remains returned.

For more information on Gaza: here

More than 75,000 people were killed in the first 16 months of the two-year war in Gaza, at least 25,000 more than the death toll announced by local authorities at the time, according to a study published in the Lancet Global Health medical journal. (Guardian 2/19, here)

Israeli attacks

·       Israeli strikes between 1/31-2/2 injured 7 (2 children) according to MSF. 2/5, Israeli forces demolished an UNRWA school. UNICEF noted the ceasefire is especially deadly for children, with 37 children killed this year.

·       2/4, an MSF health worker was shot inside a health-care facility in Al Mawasi. The same day, a Red Crescent (PRCS) paramedic was killed providing emergency medical services in Khan Younis, according to the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC). 

·       2/10, an UNRWA staff was killed in an airstrike while walking on a street near Deir al Balah.

·       10/7/2023-2/9/2026, 588 aid workers were killed in Gaza, including 396 UN staff and team members, 133 NGO workers, 55 PRCS staff and volunteers, and 4 ICRC staff.

·       2/15, Gaza health officials reported that 11 Palestinians were killed and nine wounded in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, including deaths at a tent camp for displaced people west of Jabalya. Witnesses said an Israeli drone delayed medical teams from reaching one strike site. here

·       Based on systematic forensic counting by Civil Defense teams at destroyed homes, Al Jazeera reported 2,842 Palestinians who disappeared without recoverable remains. Investigators linked disappearances to thermobaric and thermal munitions generating extreme temperatures and pressure waves from U.S. manufactured bombs. Legal scholars warned use of indiscriminate weapons may amount to war crimes and shared responsibility. here

Aid

·       1/26-2/9, more than 19,000 metric tons (MT) of aid were collected by the UN and partners, about a 10% decrease from the preceding 2-week period. 66% was collected from Kerem Shalom Crossing, the remaining 34% from Zikim Crossing.

·       Since the 1/1 closure of Nitzana (Israeli border crossing with Egypt) to UN and NGO aid trucks from Egypt, humanitarian partners have faced high return rates through the Karem Shalom Crossing. 1/12-2/5, only 34% of trucks manifested through the UN-coordinated system were allowed to offload at Gaza’s crossings; in early February, that briefly increased to 59%; but between 2/1-17, only 35% have been allowed to offload at Kerem Shalom.

·       1/26-2/19, of 235 missions coordinated with Israeli authorities: 128 were facilitated, 44 impeded, 34 denied and 29 cancelled. 

Food & Nutrition

·       Bad winter weather effects on cargo, combined with Israeli delays of several days to weeks prior to entry at crossings, has caused significant spoilage (About 1,500 MT) of food aid. Limited electricity and lack of refrigeration increase spoilage at distribution points and community kitchens. Safe disposal is challenging, as 3 of the 10 temporary dump sites are at capacity, with 3 other sites expected to reach capacity in the coming months. Israeli forces refuse access to Gaza’s 2 main landfills, located east of the “Yellow Line.”

·       Food Security partners reached 1.6 million people in January with household-level general food assistance, providing a full monthly ration with 100% caloric coverage. February food distribution is underway, but with a reduced ration covering only 50% of caloric needs, due to the Israeli limitations on food entry.

·       As of 2/7, 1.8 million hot meals are produced daily in 180 community kitchens. As of 2/11, 160,000 2-kilo bread bundles are distributed daily through 19 bakeries. 

·       In January, 89,855 children <5 were screened for malnutrition: 4,435 received treatment (3,565 for moderate acute malnutrition and 870 for severe acute malnutrition). Blanket supplementary feeding services were provided to 231,883 children <5 and 88,103 PBW.

·       Partners cannot conduct a SMART survey to verify and validate nutrition in Gaza because Israeli will not allow anthropometric equipment to clear customs at Ashdod Port. The scale and quality of nutrition services is also limited by Israeli deregistration of international NGOs.

·       The Israeli administration is frequently altering the infant formula which is getting into Gaza which is guaranteed to make new babies ill.  here

Health & Hospitals

·       Since 2/2, 211 patients and 359 companions were medically evacuated via the Rafah and Kerem Shalom Crossings. Save the Children estimates that evacuating those in need could take over a year. More than 18,500 people (4,000 children) remain in urgent need of medical evacuation for specialized treatment unavailable in Gaza. (on the WHO-approved list for urgent medical evacuation. (Drop Site 2/11, here

·       2/9, Palestinian Red Crescent Society said it helped evacuate 40 Palestinians (20 patients seeking medical treatment abroad and 20 companions) from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing. Only 397 people out of a scheduled 1,600 have passed through the Rafah crossing since February 2, when it was partially reopened by Israel. (Drop Site 2/10)

·       Gaza’s health system continues to face significant staff shortages and damaged infrastructure. Many urgently needed professionals, including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and mental health professionals, have been unable to complete their studies or obtain certification because of financial constraints. UNDP Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and local universities are supporting 470 final-year health students to complete their training and fast-track certification. In parallel, humanitarian partners report ongoing efforts to strengthen local health services, including rehabilitating damaged facilities and expanding critical care capacity, which require additional medical supplies and equipment, much of which faces entry constraints by Israel.

·       Medical authorities in Gaza warned that the health sector faces imminent collapse due to severe fuel shortages threatening hospital electricity generators. Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, said the shutdown of generators would turn hospitals into “places of death, not treatment.” A shutdown would paralyze operating rooms, intensive care units, neonatal incubators, laboratories, blood banks, and dialysis machines, placing thousands of wounded and patients at immediate risk. here

·       As of 2/18, 252 health points are open (most partially), including: 19 hospitals, 12 field hospitals, 105 primary health centers, and 116 medical points. No hospitals are operational in North Gaza. Additionally, 22 ambulance centers are partially functioning: 10 in Deir al Balah, 9 in Khan Younis, 2 in Gaza City, and 1 in Rafah.

·       2/9, 35 emergency medical teams—2 national (305 personnel) and 91 international staff--are working in Gaza. Health providers made 164,400 consults weekly, 28% in northern Gaza.

·       Israel permitted the UN and partners to bring only 300 prostheses into Gaza since 12/2025, despite more than 6,000 amputations reported. Existing stocks at the Artificial Limbs and Polio Center (ALPC) and ICRC facilities are expected to last only 3 months. No prosthetics or orthotics materials have been allowed entry since the ceasefire.

·       Around 6,000 Palestinians in Gaza live with amputations, a quarter of them children. Testimonies describe lifelong physical pain, trauma, and social isolation under siege conditions. Israel warns it may resume war if resistance groups refuse to surrender weapons within 60 days. here

·       1/29, a polio outbreak response assessment began to evaluate if vaccinations and surveillance are sufficient to interrupt transmission and to provide recommendations in case of an outbreak.

·        2/17, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said it was halting all non-essential activities at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, claiming in a statement that masked, armed men had entered the compound. MSF claimed the militants were intimidating patients, arresting them, and accused them of moving weapons. Hospital staff and witnesses have said Nasser has faced repeated incursions by masked gunmen and Israeli-backed militias in recent months, even with Gaza’s civil police. (Drop Site 2/17, here) 

Displacement & Shelter

·       Since its reopening, UN teams in Gaza received 564 Palestinian returnees through the Rafa Crossing. The UN and partners provide returnees with transportation to a Nasser Hospital (Khan Younis) reception area that provides a dignified reception process with access to protection officers, psychologists, medical staff, emergency assistance and other resources, ensuring a safe and timely response for urgent concerns. According to Israeli authorities, the return of people from Egypt to the Gaza Strip will be permitted, in coordination with Egypt, for people who left Gaza during the course of the war only and after a security clearance by Israel. Rafah Crossing was closed on Friday and Saturday.

·       2/5, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) reported ill-treatment and humiliation of Palestinians returning to Gaza via Rafah Crossing. Coercive interrogations, degrading treatment and confiscation of personal belongings, combined with denial of access to medical care and basic facilities, were noted as violations of international human rights law, undermining safe and dignified returns.

·       As of 2/11, at least 2/3 of the population (1.4 million people) reside in 1,000 often overcrowded displacement sites, mostly in tents. These include 800+ makeshift sites (81%) which are informal tent groupings on open land; collective centers (15%); and scattered sites, defined as clusters of displaced households dispersed within communities. Tents have a short lifespan and offer limited protection, and Israel continues to prevent the entry of materials needed for more durable solutions. Supplies of tents and tarpaulins are nearly depleted. People sheltering in damaged buildings face safety risks, with 230 families living in structures at high risk of collapse.

·       872 durable flat-pack shelters (called Refugee Housing Units, or RHUs) have entered Gaza. 16 have been installed in health facilities, and 54 at the Al Zaytoun displacement site (Gaza City).

·       Precarious living conditions are increased by sheltering in areas potentially contaminated with explosive ordnance (EO) or searching through rubble for firewood and other resources. Since the 10/2025 ceasefire, Mine Action (MA) partners documented 34 EO incidents, resulting in 9 fatalities and 68 injuries. MA partners support debris removal and humanitarian operations through explosive hazard assessments, inter-agency missions and EO risk education, conducting 320 monthly assessments and educating 600,000 people on EO risks.

·       A HelpAge International assessment highlights the challenges faced by displaced elders, many who live with chronic illness, disability and reduced mobility. More than 3/4s live in overcrowded tents, and have difficulties accessing food, medicines and health care. Repeated displacement, limited privacy and reliance on assistance further undermine wellbeing.

Water & Sanitation

·       Efforts to expand water availability continue, including rehabilitation of wells and desalination plants. 5 wells were restored by the Coastal Municipal Water Utility in January, and 12 main wells repaired by the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) in northern Gaza. Debris removal to reopen roads continues despite heavy equipment shortages.

·       Many people rely on water trucking and emergency distributions. As of 2/11, partners deliver 19,969 cubic meters of drinking water daily through 126 distribution points in North Gaza, 728 in Gaza city, 453 in Deir al-Balah, and 839 in Khan Younis. Water shortages are particularly severe in Al Mawasi (Khan Younis).

·       3 Mekorot water lines supply 42% of the water they did provide prior to October 2023. In mid-January, the Mekorot pipeline serving Gaza city was damaged, significantly reducing access until repairs were completed in early February; but then it was shut down again on 2/10. Disrupted access to water is exacerbated by irregular fuel deliveries and shortages of spare parts needed for repairs.

·       WHO analysis of 4,978 drinking and domestic water samples shows over 77% do not meet health standards. Microbiological contamination is widespread, with 16% contaminated with fecal coliforms and 8% with E. coli. Unsafe samples were prevalent in Gaza City (83%), Deir al-Balah (51%), Khan Younis (54%), North Gaza (85%); there were no samples from Rafah. The Health Cluster reports 5,800 cases of acute jaundice syndrome (hepatitis A) in 2025, with a marked increase in November and December. Over 496,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea were reported (47% children <5), almost a 250% increase over 2024.

·       The United Nations Development Program has begun a six-month effort to clear a massive garbage dump in central Gaza City that buried the historic Fras Market and poses serious health and environmental risks. The 13-meter-high mound formed after municipal crews lost access to Gaza’s main landfill early in the genocide, leading to hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of waste piling up in residential areas. The waste will be moved to a temporary environmentally compliant site while officials warn that limited landfill access and ongoing sanitation problems continue to threaten public health. here

Environmental Hazards

·       As the destruction continued over months and available firewood – including salvaged doors and household materials – was progressively depleted, displaced families increasingly resorted to emergency alternatives, the most hazardous of which was burning plastic for cooking and heating. After Israel cut off fuel and electricity supplies on October  9, 2023, fuel has become largely inaccessible. (Electronic Intifada 2/8)

THE WEST BANK, INCLUDING EAST JERUSALEM

·       Between 2/3-16, Israeli forces killed 3 West Bank Palestinians and, with settlers, injured 137 (11 children). So far this year, Israeli forces killed 9 West Bank Palestinians (2 children).

For West Bank casualty and displacement information: here

For West Bank humanitarian access information: here

Israeli legal attacks

·       2/8, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved a series of measures altering administrative and legal arrangements in the West Bank to tighten Israeli control over land, including in areas administered by the Palestinian Authority (Areas A and B). Measures include de-classifying West Bank land registries, removing restrictions on land transactions, and enabling state purchases. They also expanded Israeli supervisory and law-enforcement authorities in Areas A and B, transferring planning and building-permit powers from Palestinian municipal bodies to the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA), and establishing municipal frameworks linked to specific religious sites, such as Al Ibrahim Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem. 2/15, the Israeli government approved the allocation of NIS 244 million (approximately US$79 million) to resume land registration and settlement procedures in Area C.

·       2/9, the UN Secretary-General warned that these measures further erode prospects for a two-State solution, reiterating that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law, and calling for the measures to be rescinded. 2/16, the Secretary-General condemned the Israeli decision to resume land registration in Area C, warning it “could lead to the dispossession of Palestinians of their property and risks expanding Israeli control over land in the area.” The resumption of land registration is expected to accelerate the formalization of state land claims, increase the dispossession of Palestinian landowners, and increase evictions and displacement, and further constrain Palestinian development in Area C.

Israeli military attacks

·       2/3, Israeli forces shot and killed a man attempting to cross the Barrier near Ras at Tira village (Qalqiliya). Since 10/2023, 17 Palestinians have been killed and 262 injured while attempting to cross, mostly in search of employment opportunities amidst the West Bank’s severe economic downturn.

·       2/3, Israeli forces raiding Jericho shot and killed a Palestinian man who, the military claims, was throwing stones.

·       2/15, Palestinian forces, attempting to arrest a father, shot and killed a 15-year-old Palestinian boy and his 5-year-old sister in Tammun town (Tubas). An investigation was immediately launched and the incident is under review.  UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) called on Palestinian authorities to conduct a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation regarding the unnecessary use of lethal force.

·       2/16, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man in Qalqiliya city for no cause as he was on his way to his family’s farm near the Barrier. 

·       A recent Protection Cluster analysis highlights the disproportionate vulnerability of West Bank boys and young men to arbitrary arrest and detention, excessive and lethal use of force, and torture and sexual violence. They are particularly vulnerable during raids, at checkpoints, and in confrontations, where they are treated as adults and profiled as security threats based on gender. Movement restrictions, home invasions, and repeated exposure to violence contribute to psychological distress, while livelihood losses, permit revocations, and displacement undermine traditional provider roles and increase exposure to exploitation and harmful coping mechanisms. Risks are compounded for those with disabilities and those in rural, Bedouin, and refugee communities, who face greater isolation, service barriers, and exposure to violence and neglect in an environment characterized by pervasive insecurity, dignity-related harm, and long-term psychosocial consequences. The report notes that women and girls also continue to face severe protection risks.

Israeli Settler Attacks

Between 2/3-16, 86 settler attacks in 60 communities, some with military support, injured 64 Palestinians (1 child) and displaced 146 people, and damaged 800 olive trees, 39 vehicles, livestock, and water systems.

·       2/4-7, settlers from a new outpost attacked the town of Ibziq (Tubas). They broke into the village’s school, smashed doors, windows and classroom contents, damaged solar panels and water tanks, stole solar batteries and water tanks, and blocked roads. They wore military uniforms to assault and injure 7 men from a delegation visiting the school to assess the damage they had carried out. They handcuffed the men, confiscated their phones and documents, and held them for 3 hours until Israeli forces arrived. Two days later, the same settlers assaulted 3 herders, injured them with stones, and temporarily seized their sheep.

·       Beginning on 2/7, settlers repeatedly attacked water infrastructure in the Ein Samiya area (Ramallah), which serves an estimated 100,000 Palestinians. They raided a well site managed by the Jerusalem Water Undertaking (JWU), cut fences, vandalized equipment, and assaulted a worker. Masked and armed settlers again raided the site, pepper-sprayed and injured five JWU workers, and stopped maintenance work. According to JWU, these attacks resulted in intermittent water cuts and the partial suspension of water pumping. Similar attacks happened 10 times in 2025 and 6 so far this year. 

·       2/11, settlers cut the water network supplying the Palestinian community of Jinba, in the Masafer Yatta area (Hebron) after previously severing the main water connection serving 10 communities located within Firing Zone 918. 300 residents now rely solely on their household cisterns. Settlers from a new outpost nearby carried out a similar attack last month, cutting the pipeline supplying water from the village of At Tuwani to about 10 Palestinian communities in this firing zone, disrupting the water supply to 190 households. 

·       2/8, Israeli forces and settlers bulldozed a road near Sabastiya village (Nablus), disconnecting water to 4 Palestinian households. The same day, settlers and soldiers prevented a Palestinian local council and Ministry of Agriculture staff from installing a water tank between the villages of Beit Dajan and Beit Furik, detained 6 staff for 5 hours, and obstructed a project to supply water to 400 greenhouses and nearby homes.

·       2/19, Nasrallah Abu Siam, a 19-year-old Palestinian-American, has died after being shot and beaten by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that settlers raided the village of Mukhmas, shooting and wounding three Palestinians, including Abu Siam. After shooting Abu Siam, a resident said the settlers “crowded around him, hit him with clubs and stones and nearly killed him.” here

Demolitions and Evictions

Between 2/3-16, Israel demolished 108 structures (29 residences, 55 agricultural and livelihood structures, and 24 water and sanitation structures) due to the lack of impossible to attain Israeli-issued building permits. 114 Palestinians (59 children) were displaced--48 in East Jerusalem and 66 in Area C.

So far this year, 700 Palestinians were displaced in 9 communities by settler attacks, including 600 from Ras Ein Al Auja Bedouin community (Jericho).

·       Since the onset of the Gaza genocide, 10,000 Palestinians have been internally displaced across the West Bank, with entire villages emptied, dismantled, and erased. Over 30,000 Palestinians were displaced from the Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams refugee camps in a large-scale Israeli military operation launched in January 2025. Over that same period, more than 1,000 Palestinians—nearly a quarter of them children—have been killed. (Drop Site 2/7)

·       2/10, Israeli authorities in Silwan, East Jerusalem, demolished 6 structures, restricted movement by sealing the area’s main entrances, and injured 4 men. 7 households (37 people, 15 children) were affected. 14 neighboring households have also received demolition notices this year, placing over 80 residents at risk of displacement. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is representing 85 demolition cases in the community, home to 1,550 Palestinians and 150 housing units at risk of demolition.

·       2/3-16, settler attacks and access restrictions displaced 29 herding households (146 people, 77 children), 90% in the Jordan Valley:

-- In Tubas, 11 households were displaced from Hammamat al Maleh – Al Meiteh following an arson attack; and 7 households from Humsa al Bqaia after repeated settler harassment.

-- In Jericho, 7 refugee households displaced from Al ‘Auja, and 10 Bedouin households from Al Jiftlik–Abu al ‘Ajaj due to escalating settler violence.

-- In Hebron, 1 household from Mirkez community, Masafer Yatta, following repeated settler harassment and threats.

·       Since January 2023, Palestinian Bedouin and herding communities in Area C have faced recurrent settler attacks and access restrictions leading to the forced displacement of 883 Palestinian households (4,765 people) from 97 communities in the Jordan Valley area (parts of Tubas, Nablus, Jericho and Ramallah governorates). In January, 600 Palestinians were displaced from Ras Ein al ‘Auja Bedouin community, marking the highest single-community displacement due to settler attacks and access restrictions in the past 3 years. 

·       Tens of thousands of Palestinians in the Qalandia refugee camp and Kufr Aqab are cut off from Jerusalem by the apartheid wall and separated from other Palestinian towns. Now, a new Israeli settlement plan threatens to displace them completely. here

Israeli Operations in the Northern West Bank

·       2/3-16, Israeli forces carried out 48 raids and search-and-arrest operations in Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, Tulkarm and Salfit governorates, causing mass detentions, temporary home evacuations and movement restrictions. Israeli forces took over 5 homes for military use, evacuated 8 families, and detained 84 Palestinians, while searching and damaging property and disrupting basic services.

-- In Qalqiliya, they raided Azzun town, searched 14 houses, detained 17 men for 20 hours, closed dozens of shops, and converted a residence into a military post.

-- In Nablus, they raided Nablus City and Balata refugee camp, fired tear gas, assaulted and arrested residents, blew up a structure, and evacuated 4 homes.

-- In Salfit, they closed 4 entrances to Salfit City, searched houses, detained and interrogated residents, converted 4 houses to military posts, assaulted and hospitalized 2 men, and closed government offices, shops and schools.

-- In Jenin, they re-established a previously evacuated military post in Arraba town, permanently displacing 5 herding families who have lived in the area since 2013 and rely on livestock herding for their livelihood.

ISRAEL

·       Hebrew media have reported that the Israel Prison Service has recently begun special preparations to enforce a death penalty law against Palestinian prisoners accused by Israel of carrying out or planning attacks. The plan includes building a dedicated facility for carrying out executions, setting out the required procedures, training staff, and drawing on the experience of countries that apply similar punishments. here

·       An Israeli court rejected an appeal to allow a five-year-old Palestinian boy with an aggressive form of cancer to enter Israel for life-saving treatment, citing a government policy that bars residents registered in Gaza from crossing the border. Child has lived in West Bank since 2022. (Guardian 2/11, Drop Site 2/11)

Prisons

·       Senior Palestinian detainee Abdullah al-Barghouti was injured during a violent Israeli assault inside Israel’s Gilboa Prison, according to Palestinian Prisoners’ advocacy groups, raising renewed concerns over the treatment and deteriorating health conditions of long-term detainees amid reports of systematic abuse and deliberate starvation policies. (Palestine Chronicle 2/12)

·       Hatem Rayyan, a Palestinian paramedic detained by Israel on 12/27/24 during the siege of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, has died inside Israel’s Naqab Prison. The Prisoners’ Media Office described his death “as part of “a systematic killing policy and enforced disappearance targeting Palestinian prisoners.” here

UNITED STATES

·       Palestinians arrested by ICE are being flown, bound and shackled from Arizona to Tel Aviv on a private jet belonging to Israeli-American tycoon Gil Dezer, a close associate of Trump. On 1/21, Israeli authorities left eight Palestinian at a West Bank checkpoint. Disoriented and cold, they were dressed in prison-issued tracksuits and carried their few belongings in plastic bags.  (+972, The Guardian)

·       It’s no coincidence that, reporting on an incursion into Minnesota, New York Times columnist Lydia Polgreen described an “occupation designed to punish and terrorize.” The technologies supporting their operations illustrate how thoroughly ICE is following in Israel’s footsteps: both ELITE and Mobile Fortify bear a striking resemblance to mobile targeting applications Israeli forces have integrated into their policing arsenal over the last decade. here

·       US Department of Defense has quietly signed a $210 million deal to buy advanced cluster shells from one of Israel’s state-owned arms companies, marking unusually large new commitments to a class of weapons and an Israeli defense company. Widely condemned for their indiscriminate killing of civilians, the shells are designed to replace decades old and often defective cluster shells that left live explosives scattered across Vietnam, Laos, Iraq, and other nations. (The Intercept 2/8)

·       Review of Trump’s grandiose so-called “Board of Peace” and his futuristic Mediterranean metropolis open for investors versus the reality for Palestinians which includes:

-cost of rebuilding is more than $50 billion

-identity and roles for International Stabilization Force unclear

-60 million tons of war debris

-almost total destruction of civilian infrastructure including waste management

-600 Palestinians killed since “ceasefire”

-armed anti-Hamas militants versus armed Hamas forces

-barred entry for “dual use” items including wide diameter steel tent poles

-severe lack of housing, food, medicine, controlled by Israeli military unit, COGAT

-minimal crossing in or out at Rafah checkpoint, controlled by Israel

-appointed technocratic transitional government, still based in Cairo

- previous Israeli proposals to reduce Gaza’s Palestinian population through what officials have termed “voluntary migration” after having “concentrated” them in so-called “humanitarian cities.” here, here

·       The Trump administration is planning a 5,000-person military base in Gaza spanning more than 350 acres to serve as an operating hub for the International Stabilization Force (ISF) under the “Board of Peace.” Plans outline phased construction of a fortified base featuring 26 armored watchtowers, a small arms range, bunkers, equipment warehouses, and barbed-wire perimeter defenses in southern Gaza. (Drop Site 2/19)

·       White House is considering a proposal to recruit anti-Hamas Palestinian gangs—armed by Israel since the onset of the genocide—into a new Gaza police force. Some of these gangs, which include organized crime groups and drug-trafficking clans, have been reported for looting aid amid famine conditions and carrying out murders and kidnappings, with members of at least two groups reportedly having fought for or pledged allegiance to Islamic State. (Drop Site 2/19)

·       In further erasures of Palestinian existence, it will soon be illegal in Florida public schools and in any government documents to use the term “West Bank.” This part of occupied Palestine will only be referred to as “Judea and Samaria.” here

·       People who appear to be part of the Israeli military’s Golani Brigade were seen walking through Los Angeles General Medical Center, amid ongoing reporting by Annenberg Media about a program where USC trains Israeli military medical personnel using cadavers. Almost one year ago, the Israeli military said that particular brigade was involved in the massacre and subsequent mass burial of 15 unarmed Palestinian paramedics, one of whom was a staffer for the United Nations. here

Universities

·       2/9, Columbia University protester Leqaa Kordia was immediately returned to ICE custody after hospital discharge, following medical care over the weekend as a result of a “serious medical episode” [reported seizure]. ICE blocked Kordia’s family and lawyers from contact with her for more than 72 hours and relatives still do not know what occurred during her hospitalization. (Drop Site 2/10)

·       Following federal scrutiny, Columbia review committee moves to reshape Middle Eastern studies, increasing focus on Israel, and named the Committee on Global Thought to oversee changes to several regional studies programs. The review committee pushed to expand the program’s study of Israel, including strengthening relationships with the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies through visiting professorships. Similarly, the School of International and Public Affairs is “finalizing” arrangements for a visiting professor to teach about economic and other policy issues in Israel, scheduled to start this fall. here

·       Organizers fight back as Missouri moves to crack down on Israel-related speech in schools. Rights groups warn HB 2061 will be used to silence criticisms of Israel and attack Missouri teachers by adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism into codes of conduct for Missouri’s public schools and universities. here

INTERNATIONAL

·       Reports that Israeli aircraft sprayed chemical agents (later identified as defoliants) along the Lebanese border have intensified concerns over environmental damage, civilian harm, and possible violations of international law, with similar incidents also reported in southern Syria. (Palestine Chronicle 2/8)

·       2/9, Israeli occupation forces carried out a deadly strike and a ground raid in southern Lebanon, killing three civilians – including a four-year-old child – and abducting a Lebanese political official. Lebanese sources described such incidents as continued violations of the 11/2024 ceasefire. (Palestine Chronicle 2/9).

·       Leaked messages show UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting privately accusing Israel of war crimes. In private WhatsApp and text messages, Streeting said in July 2025 that Israel was “committing war crimes before our eyes,” engaging in “rogue state behavior,” and should face state-level sanctions—positions the government has not adopted publicly. (Drop Site 2/10) 

·       High Court has ruled Britain’s ban on Palestine Action unlawful. A panel of judges found that the ban resulted in “very significant interference with the right to freedom of speech and the right to freedom of assembly.” Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest arms firms, has at least six remaining sites in the UK but Palestine Action’s assertive campaigns have shut down four others. (Electronic Intifada 2/13, here)

·       Australia is demanding criminal charges over a 2024 Israeli airstrike on a World Food Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza that killed seven people, including an Australian aid worker. Thousands protested Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit and the Sydney police were widely accused of using excessive force, including punching and attacking protesters and using pepper spray. (Drop Site 2/11)

·       The Vatican flatly rejected a U.S. invitation to join the Trump-led "Board of Peace" for Gaza. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem previously described the project as "a colonialist operation" focused on "others deciding for the Palestinians.” here

SOURCES

OCHAOPT, Drop Site News, +972, The Guardian, Palestine Chronicle, Electronic Intifada, The Intercept, Middle East Eye, Haaretz, Mondoweiss